Library Board seeks public input, support on Godeke future

Lubbock's Library Board hopes to rally readers, researchers and other residents as city leaders consider the fate of Lubbock's Godeke Library branch along with other city facilities.

The board will plan a time for a town hall meeting this spring to gather public opinion and raise interest about what should become of the city's Godeke library branch and ask the question: What do Lubbockites want for the future of the city's southwest library branch?

"I'm looking for affirmation that people still do want a library in South Lubbock," board member Lynne Strickland said. "We want to get someone outside of the Library Board or Friends of the Library to come to City Council meetings and show support for the library's future."

The library branch for months has been under fire by the City Council for the cost and uncertain future of its $25,000-per-month lease?

The board will meet for a special work session at noon today in the city's Mahon Library, 1306 Ninth St.

Strickland, president of the nonprofit Lubbock Friends of the Library organization, is among board members who say they face a challenge to keep the library a priority a week after the City Council met for a public work session starting the process of prioritizing city building and renovation projects for a possible bond election.

"To me, I would get out of the library so you can get out of a $300,000 bill every year," she said.

Godeke, with its lease for 18,000-square-foot shopping center at Slide Road and South Loop 289, was listed among more than a dozen city community centers, pools and other facilities during Monday's City Council work session on potential renovations and needed construction projects.

"It was mentioned and the focus was quickly shifted away to public safety," City Councilman Victor Hernandez said.

Both Hernandez and Councilman Jim Gerlt, whose District 4 includes Godeke, said they believe the library, with its lease agreement allowing landlord Kimco Realty of New York to give the city 90 days' notice for termination, is a top priority among city facility projects.

But Gerlt, like Mayor Glen Robertson and other council members, said the first priority for the council is public safety projects such as a proposal to replace the city's worn and aging police station for upward of $25 million and build a new downtown fire station.

"But next come other projects, and the Godeke is pretty high on my agenda," he said. "It may come down to one of the projects that goes to voters in a bond election."

Hernandez said he agrees such buildings as Municipal Square, which houses the police station and municipal court, and Fire Station No. 1, with its undersize bay doors, need to be replaced.

"But who's at risk of being thrown out? Nobody except Godeke," he said.

The Library Board last week unanimously passed resolutions urging the City Council to maintain library services in Southwest Lubbock, stressing the "essential" role libraries play in the community as they fear city leaders' and the publics' attention shifts away from the city's southwest library branch.

"We'd like to keep it up front," board chairwoman Nadine McDonald said at the time. "Let's not let the library fall back through the cracks."

In December, the council opted against paying a consultant about $80,000 to develop a master plan for the future of the library system.

The council opted instead to focus on finding an alternative location to Godeke's lease, where it has been since moving to the location in 2009 after leaving a now demolished, mold-infested city structure at Quaker Avenue and South Loop 289 in 2008.

Godeke is the city's fourth library branch and the only location south of 19th Street.

On Nov. 29, the council voted against Robertson's proposal to spend about $1 million to purchase and renovate a vacant building in the 3800 block of 50th Street to house Godeke.

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Library Board work session

When: noon today.

Where: Mahon Library, 1306 Ninth St.

More information: 775-2826text text text

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